The material on play and games reminds me of the great Romantic philosopher and artist Friedrich Schiller, who contended that human play falls midway between purely sensuous animal-like existence and the formal qualities of the rational mind. Play thus gives spontaneity and balance to human life.
The main thing I am thinking about, for far in the course, is what kind of learning at school is suitable for gamed based learning. I teach art, also philosophy. At this point I can't think of anything in practical art or philosophy (which is for Year 12) which would be suitable. Perhaps some art theory for the middle school, but I will keep thinking about it.
Level 1
KWL (Levels 1 and 3)
Add your thoughts using the KWL approach. Thinking about Game Mechanics, Games-Based Learning or gamification.....
K = What do you know? W = What do you want to learn? L = What have you learned? (we'll do this last one later)
Reflection
Add your thoughts here and also add to the KWL notes above, where appropriate.
I am realising that I have encountered a dimension of education and learning that really hasn't occurred to me before - the idea of games based learning. I have connected pleasure to the experience of having insights and the fascination of learning but not fun. Pleasure is certain part of fun but there are dimensions of pleasure which don't come under the heading of "fun" ie. the intellectual pleasure of learning philosophy. But I am open to learning about the meaning of fun in learning and its relation to games.
Level 2
Where do I start?
Identify some learning outcomes that you will be visiting with your students in upcoming lessons. Note down here some ways they might benefit from gamification.
I'm glad to hear that gamification doesn't necessarily involve adding technology to my current teaching methods. I don't have additional technology and am not good at using it. How I design some elements of my teaching work, according to gaming thinking, might become possible.
I can see that elements of gaming are everywhere, perhaps in my own teaching without realising it. I can also see that, if this is the case, only small parts of the three elements of the pyramid would be present. For example, under mechanics there may only be challenges and feedback - in some of my art and other classes.
Observe and reflect
After playing a game what are your personal thoughts about the design and elements involved and how any of these could help you in thinking about doing the same in a learning activity?
Level 3
Premiers Reading Challenge Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience. (feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubic to this page.)
The gamification element comes across first of all in the appearance of the website, with story-time characters depicted. Then, it is clear in the rules that the whole process has numerous games element. Firstly, the aim and theme of the Reading Challenge is clear and relates directly to the readers' lives (through their interest in reading). Secondly, there are clear chances to improve reading skills and knowledge of literature. Progress is visible through the reading log and there are different forms of rewards as different levels of accomplishment - PRC medal, PRC Gold and Platinum certificates etc. Thirdly, the readers are likely to be highly engaged emotionally, because they are reading literature of their own choice or which they are guided towards by others.
Zombie Learning Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience.
(feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubic to this page.)
This also is clearly a gamified experience. Firstly, the game element comes across just in the fact that zombies are involved. There is an element of fantasy here which leads to greater engagement. Secondly, because of this fantasy elements, emotions are aroused which wouldn't be associated normally with geography study - ie. excitement, expectation, fun, satisfaction etc. These emotions are associated not just with the threat of the attack but with the opportunity to help the citizens survive by resettlement etc. Thirdly, this is truly games based learning because an increase of skills and knowledge, with the whole program carefully structure to bring this about ie. learning about types of geographical regions and geographical tools, geographical planning and population demographics etc, all higher order thinking skills.
You Try/ A final reflection
Add your finished plan here as an upload file or as text you have cut and pasted into the wiki. We would love to give you feedback to help you get started. (remember it does not need be perfect, it is a first attempt). Alternatively it can be emailed to us instead.
KWL: Levels 1, 2, 3
K - I knew very little about games based learning before doing this course. Of course, I can recognise it in different forms of promotional material and other educational experienced which are encountered, not just in schools, but in the public sphere (ie. the Air New Zealand flight check which I have seen before). But I had no idea of the ways gamification can be incorporated into school learning, and into my own teaching in particular. I knew, and I try to bring it about, that education is enjoyable but I hadn't encountered the possibility that if could be fun in the way which gamification opens up. W - I would like to see precisely the ways in which my own teaching could profit and develop through gamification. This will take some time to work out because it certainly could be everything. I would like to know more about the age level it is appropriate for and the particular kinds of skills and knowledge (in art education) which could be furthered through games based learning. L - From the examples given I have learning a lot about the aims of games based learning and the way it can be applied. I have taught some geography in the past and this example of the zombie challenge made a lot of sense to me. I now appreciate the difference between gamification and games based learning.
Class 3 Building Lesson outcomes
Through the year one small component of my teaching work is to conduct building work experiences with Class 3; this is in conjunction with what is called the Building Main Lesson at our school, where students learn about different kinds of habitation around the world. My part of this work is to provide practice experience of building, which includes small walls, cubbies and other minor constructions around the school. The outcomes are to have hands on experience of handling building materials, using some equipment like different forms of spades and levels, learning back structural forms like walls, joists, posts, lintels etc. and different forms of cladding. Description of my audience
I have a small class of about ten year olds, who are mainly willing workers and who get enthusiastic about different aspects of building, especially cubbies. They are motivated to use material around them in the bush to form small structure which they can then play in. Time constraints
I have different groups throughout the year, each group for 80 minutes per week for 10 weeks. Game elements (game dynamics, game mechanics, game components)
Although this work is already enjoyable for the children, adding games elements could increase the fun element considerably, especially in relation to the more arduous aspects of the learning. Narrative: The games element can come in through the introduction of the idea of “fairy houses”. The cubbies can be built in a ways in which, they either becomes good homes for fairies, or if not good, they will be occupied by goblins. Constraints: The game components will be that the cubbies will need to be built with appropriate materials, be sturdy structures which include the basic components of building design, including cladding. Game mechanics: the challenge will firstly be time-based. The students have the first three weeks to build a basic structure. If they accomplish this they can step up to another level, and add on to their cubby over another three week, making more room for the fairies. They then can step up to a third level, and add on a third structure. At the end of every level there can be feedback given as to the quality of the construction. At the end of the term and the completion of the work there can be recognition of a win state in that the students were able, or not able, to keep the goblins at bay throughout the term. A prize will be offered for the best construction. Game dynamics: Many emotions would be aroused in the students through this challenge. The excitement of the building process for the sake of the fairies, empathy for them and concern lest the goblins take over, exhilaration. There is the sense of social justice and concern with good construction. Progression to different levels of construction plays and important part. The social relationship element is vital, with the students working out the building process with each other, discussing, brainstorming about the best approach etc. Fun check: There is really no easy fun component to this. It is very largely hard fun, with considerable physical challenges involved. It is also serious fun, because of the social ethic of keeping the goblins at bay and providing a sound construction for the fairies. The social fun aspect comes into it through the relationship amount the students during the work.
..................
Have you filled in the evaluation? Have you found the bonus level content?
Badges & Rewards
The material on play and games reminds me of the great Romantic philosopher and artist Friedrich Schiller, who contended that human play falls midway between purely sensuous animal-like existence and the formal qualities of the rational mind. Play thus gives spontaneity and balance to human life.
The main thing I am thinking about, for far in the course, is what kind of learning at school is suitable for gamed based learning. I teach art, also philosophy. At this point I can't think of anything in practical art or philosophy (which is for Year 12) which would be suitable. Perhaps some art theory for the middle school, but I will keep thinking about it.
Level 1
KWL (Levels 1 and 3)
Add your thoughts using the KWL approach. Thinking about Game Mechanics, Games-Based Learning or gamification.....K = What do you know?
W = What do you want to learn?
L = What have you learned? (we'll do this last one later)
Reflection
Add your thoughts here and also add to the KWL notes above, where appropriate.I am realising that I have encountered a dimension of education and learning that really hasn't occurred to me before - the idea of games based learning. I have connected pleasure to the experience of having insights and the fascination of learning but not fun. Pleasure is certain part of fun but there are dimensions of pleasure which don't come under the heading of "fun" ie. the intellectual pleasure of learning philosophy. But I am open to learning about the meaning of fun in learning and its relation to games.
Level 2
Where do I start?
Identify some learning outcomes that you will be visiting with your students in upcoming lessons. Note down here some ways they might benefit from gamification.I'm glad to hear that gamification doesn't necessarily involve adding technology to my current teaching methods. I don't have additional technology and am not good at using it. How I design some elements of my teaching work, according to gaming thinking, might become possible.
I can see that elements of gaming are everywhere, perhaps in my own teaching without realising it. I can also see that, if this is the case, only small parts of the three elements of the pyramid would be present. For example, under mechanics there may only be challenges and feedback - in some of my art and other classes.
Observe and reflect
After playing a game what are your personal thoughts about the design and elements involved and how any of these could help you in thinking about doing the same in a learning activity?
Level 3
Premiers Reading Challenge Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience. (feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubic to this page.)The gamification element comes across first of all in the appearance of the website, with story-time characters depicted. Then, it is clear in the rules that the whole process has numerous games element. Firstly, the aim and theme of the Reading Challenge is clear and relates directly to the readers' lives (through their interest in reading). Secondly, there are clear chances to improve reading skills and knowledge of literature. Progress is visible through the reading log and there are different forms of rewards as different levels of accomplishment - PRC medal, PRC Gold and Platinum certificates etc. Thirdly, the readers are likely to be highly engaged emotionally, because they are reading literature of their own choice or which they are guided towards by others.
Zombie Learning Reflection
Write your thoughts here and or print a rubric and circle the appropriate areas you notice as you review the rules of this gamified experience.(feel free to scan or photograph and upload your rubic to this page.)
This also is clearly a gamified experience. Firstly, the game element comes across just in the fact that zombies are involved. There is an element of fantasy here which leads to greater engagement. Secondly, because of this fantasy elements, emotions are aroused which wouldn't be associated normally with geography study - ie. excitement, expectation, fun, satisfaction etc. These emotions are associated not just with the threat of the attack but with the opportunity to help the citizens survive by resettlement etc. Thirdly, this is truly games based learning because an increase of skills and knowledge, with the whole program carefully structure to bring this about ie. learning about types of geographical regions and geographical tools, geographical planning and population demographics etc, all higher order thinking skills.
You Try/ A final reflection
Add your finished plan here as an upload file or as text you have cut and pasted into the wiki. We would love to give you feedback to help you get started. (remember it does not need be perfect, it is a first attempt). Alternatively it can be emailed to us instead.KWL: Levels 1, 2, 3
K - I knew very little about games based learning before doing this course. Of course, I can recognise it in different forms of promotional material and other educational experienced which are encountered, not just in schools, but in the public sphere (ie. the Air New Zealand flight check which I have seen before). But I had no idea of the ways gamification can be incorporated into school learning, and into my own teaching in particular. I knew, and I try to bring it about, that education is enjoyable but I hadn't encountered the possibility that if could be fun in the way which gamification opens up. W - I would like to see precisely the ways in which my own teaching could profit and develop through gamification. This will take some time to work out because it certainly could be everything. I would like to know more about the age level it is appropriate for and the particular kinds of skills and knowledge (in art education) which could be furthered through games based learning. L - From the examples given I have learning a lot about the aims of games based learning and the way it can be applied. I have taught some geography in the past and this example of the zombie challenge made a lot of sense to me. I now appreciate the difference between gamification and games based learning.
Class 3 Building
Lesson outcomes
Through the year one small component of my teaching work is to conduct building work experiences with Class 3; this is in conjunction with what is called the Building Main Lesson at our school, where students learn about different kinds of habitation around the world. My part of this work is to provide practice experience of building, which includes small walls, cubbies and other minor constructions around the school. The outcomes are to have hands on experience of handling building materials, using some equipment like different forms of spades and levels, learning back structural forms like walls, joists, posts, lintels etc. and different forms of cladding.
Description of my audience
I have a small class of about ten year olds, who are mainly willing workers and who get enthusiastic about different aspects of building, especially cubbies. They are motivated to use material around them in the bush to form small structure which they can then play in.
Time constraints
I have different groups throughout the year, each group for 80 minutes per week for 10 weeks.
Game elements (game dynamics, game mechanics, game components)
Although this work is already enjoyable for the children, adding games elements could increase the fun element considerably, especially in relation to the more arduous aspects of the learning.
Narrative: The games element can come in through the introduction of the idea of “fairy houses”. The cubbies can be built in a ways in which, they either becomes good homes for fairies, or if not good, they will be occupied by goblins.
Constraints: The game components will be that the cubbies will need to be built with appropriate materials, be sturdy structures which include the basic components of building design, including cladding.
Game mechanics: the challenge will firstly be time-based. The students have the first three weeks to build a basic structure. If they accomplish this they can step up to another level, and add on to their cubby over another three week, making more room for the fairies. They then can step up to a third level, and add on a third structure. At the end of every level there can be feedback given as to the quality of the construction. At the end of the term and the completion of the work there can be recognition of a win state in that the students were able, or not able, to keep the goblins at bay throughout the term. A prize will be offered for the best construction.
Game dynamics: Many emotions would be aroused in the students through this challenge. The excitement of the building process for the sake of the fairies, empathy for them and concern lest the goblins take over, exhilaration. There is the sense of social justice and concern with good construction. Progression to different levels of construction plays and important part. The social relationship element is vital, with the students working out the building process with each other, discussing, brainstorming about the best approach etc.
Fun check: There is really no easy fun component to this. It is very largely hard fun, with considerable physical challenges involved. It is also serious fun, because of the social ethic of keeping the goblins at bay and providing a sound construction for the fairies. The social fun aspect comes into it through the relationship amount the students during the work.
..................
Have you filled in the evaluation? Have you found the bonus level content?